This story is a prequel to This Means War.
Inspired by "Sound of Madness" by Shinedown, this story carries fragments of the song within it—echoes of rage, paranoia, survival, and defiance.
The first part is set in 1990—
the year everything burned.
Literally. Figuratively.
This is where James Blackburn is scarred, inside and out.
This is where alliances are tested, fractured, or sealed in blood.
But power is never carried alone.
Behind every leader stood people who understood the cost long before the city did—wives who watched men walk out knowing they might not come back, women who held families together while empires tore each other apart.
By 2014, Kaylee's past has already been written—
carved into blood and silence, buried where no one is supposed to look.
This Means War takes place four years later, when the ghosts left behind refuse to stay buried. The crews are older. Meaner. Smarter. Someone from Kaylee's past resurfaces, convinced his uncle was murdered—and revenge becomes his religion.
By then, the characters are no longer who they were.
Power always changes people.
Like This Means War, this story carries a playlist—a soundtrack of violence, loyalty, and survival. Some songs return. Most don't.
Nothing stays the same forever.
"Yeah, I get it—you're an outcast.
Always under attack, always coming in last.
Dragging up the past like anyone owes you a thing.
I think you need a shotgun blast, a kick in the ass.
So paranoid... watch your back."
What followed was business. Territory was claimed, money moved, and problems were handled before they became questions. Deals were made in back rooms and grease-stained garages, sealed with handshakes or gunfire, depending on what was required. Violence wasn't chaos—it was enforcement, measured and deliberate. The police learned early where the lines were, when to look the other way, and when justice was better left untouched. Plenty of men ruled through fear, loud and reckless, burning fast and burning out. Someone else worked quieter—calculating, precise, and relentless, with a temper that flared when rules were broken and consequences were ignored. Respect followed naturally, fear came as a warning, and by the time the city understood the difference, the streets already knew who lasted—and who didn't. The empires that would come to define the city were already forming, though no one dared name them yet; their reach was quiet, inevitable, and inescapable.
THE FOURFOLD AUTHORITY
The Syndicates That Rule the City
In this city, there are gangs...
and then there are empires.
By now, the streets knew it. Foot traffic slowed when certain names were mentioned. Businesses folded or paid their dues without a single gun fired. Every alley, dock, and back room had its rules—and those who ignored them learned quickly why. Four crews had quietly risen to the top. They didn't just run streets—they controlled supply lines, weapons, money, intelligence, and fear itself. When one of them moved, the city held its breath.
But behind every empire is blood—
and behind the blood are families who survive what the city never sees.
THE OBSIDIAN CROWN
Territory: Auto yards, docks, underground trade routes
Reputation: Ruthless but loyal. Family-first. No unnecessary kills
Symbol: A clenched fist wrapped in barbed wire
James Blackburn
Role: Supreme Leader / Master Mechanic
James doesn't raise his voice. He doesn't need to. His reputation does it for him. A tactical mind with grease-stained hands, he built the Obsidian Crown from stolen engines and street blood into one of the most respected crime syndicates in the country.
His temper is famous—not for how often it shows, but for what happens when it does. Inside the Crown, everyone knows the rules, and more importantly, they know what it costs to break them. James doesn't waste anger. When it comes out, it's precise, final, and never forgotten.
Married to Francesca Blackburn.
Father to twin boys named: Jeremiah Jayden "Jeremy" Blackburn and Sebastian James Blackburn .
Later remarries and has four more children.
Family is his weakness—and his trigger.
Lars Davenport
Role: Right Hand / Strategist
Handles logistics, negotiations, and betrayals before they happen.
Married to Skylar Davenport. Two children.
Kirk Hendricks
Role: Weapons Specialist
Quiet. Precise. Deadly.
Married to Lani Hendricks.
Robert Olson
Role: Enforcer / Driver
Drives like the devil is chasing him.
Married. One son.
Jason Newton
Role: Tattoo Artist / Underground Doctor
Stitches bodies and keeps secrets alive.
Married to Nicole Newton. One son.
EXECUTION HARVEST
Territory: Smuggling routes, underground fight rings
Reputation: Brutal. Efficient. Feared.
Tom Armstrong
Role: Leader
Calm in ways that unsettle people.
Married to Melissa Armstrong. One daughter.
Kerry Moody
Role: Right Hand / Executioner
If Tom gives the word, Kerry makes sure it's final.
Married to Samantha "Sam" Moody.
Paul Zimmerman
Role: Weapons Expert / Hacker
Builds bombs. Breaks systems. Married. Methodical.
Jeff Knox
Role: Driver / Bodyguard / Tattoo Artist
Fast hands. Faster reflexes.
TOXIC ANTHEM
Territory: Intelligence, underground tech, black-market weapons
Reputation: Smart. Organized. Dangerous when cornered.
Joey Pierce
Role: Leader
The diplomat of the Authority.
Married to Erica Pierce. One daughter.
Scott Quinn
Role: Right Hand
Blunt. Loyal. Lethal.
Married to Helena Quinn.
Dan Holloway
Role: Weapons Expert
Quiet. Terrifyingly brilliant.
Frank Cummings
Role: Bodyguard / Hacker
Muscle with a mind for code.
Charlie Adams
Role: Driver / Enforcer
If Charlie's driving, someone isn't walking away.
ZERO HOUR DIRECTIVE
Territory: Military-grade weapons, mercenary contracts
Reputation: Unpredictable. Volatile. Unstoppable.
Dave Mullins
Role: Leader
Temper legendary. Tactics brutal.
Married to Rosie Mullins. One daughter.
David "Junior" Hurst
Role: Right Hand
Keeps rage from overrunning strategy.
Married to Alanie Hurst.
Shawn Owens
Role: Driver / Enforcer
Military precision. No hesitation.
Chris McKnight
Role: Mechanic / Bodyguard
If it runs or fires, he can fix it—or weaponize it.
THE NEXT GENERATION & ALLIED CREWS
Victoria Blackwell (Blackburn)
Leader — Crossfire Angels
James Blackburn's daughter. Raised in blood and loyalty.
Married to Andy Blackwell.
Mother to Isabella "Bella" Blackwell.
Rachel Davenport
Victoria's right hand.
Daughter of Lars Davenport.
Stacy Blackburn (King)
James's wife. Mother of five.
Not a soldier—but when the Crown needs her, she answers.
SEVENFOLD RECKONING
A rising power.
M. Silva — Leader
S. Graves — Right Hand
Zacky Copeland — Weapons
Johnny Ross — Doctor / Strategist
R. Zimmerman — Hacker / Tech Genius
THE DARK VOW
Andy Blackwell — Leader, husband, and father.
Married to Victoria (Blackburn) Blackwell.
Father to Isabella "Bella" Blackwell.
Ashley Collins — Right Hand
OTHER FORCES IN THE SHADOWS
Bullet Club
The most feared assassins in the world.
No loyalty. No mercy. Only contracts.
Kaylee Thornton walks among them.
Randy Thornton
A lone wolf. Reliable only when it matters most.
Sons of Anarchy
No explanation needed.
Chapter One begins with life.
Everything else follows with fire.